Birthday Blessings for Sarah

 Today I'm honored to be participating in a special blog hop to help Sarah (aka MustangSarah) celebrate both her birthday and her blog anniversary! She's put together a fantastic sketch challenge and we're inviting all of your to join in the fun! All the details and prize info (woohoo!) are posted on Sarah's blog!

Here's the sketch:

Fun one, huh? For my card, I combined stamps from Verve's Stamp of the Month**, Blessings, with some new Reflections designer paper from Prima. (The Reflections paper pad arrived in yesterday's mail and I think it sat for all of five minutes before I tore into it!) Accents include crinkled seam binding, some gorgeous mother of pearl buttons that I found at Pizzazz Aplenty, a punched butterfly, stitching, scallops, and Kaisercraft pearls.

**During the month of March, enjoy 30% savings on Blessings!


Here are all of today's hoppers, starting with the birthday girl herself!

1. Sarah

2. Teresa

3. Wanda

4. Debbie

5. Tosha

6. Stephanie

7. Julee

8. Betty

9. Marisa

10. Andrea

11. Lynda

12. Charmaine

13. Keva

14. Amy  (you're here)


Thanks so much for visiting today!




Stamps: Blessings (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy, Papertrey Vintage Cream, Prima Reflections designer paper
Ink: Stampin' Up Not Quite Navy and More Mustard, Ranger Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Curvy Rectangles die, Stampin' Up scallop border punch, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, Kaisercraft pearls, paper piercer, needle, thread, crinkled seam binding, hemp cord, mother of pearl buttons, burlap string
Size: 6 1/2 x 3 1/4"

Rebirth of Spring

I know we cardmakers start creating for Spring long before the first crocus peeks its head, but I think it's safe to say Spring is finally coming for real to Virginia, at least! Today's card has been sitting on my work table partially assembled for what seems like forever, mocking me, almost, for not getting it finished. Today was the day! Here's a quick how-to just to show how easy it was. Most of the supplies I used are available at Stamper's Dream.

1. Cut background designer paper panel to A2. I used a pattern from Prima's Botanicals collection.
2. Crumple the full panel and distress the edges with both ink and a distressing tool. I used Tim Holtz's Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress Inks by Ranger, along with an edge distressing tool.
3. Machine stitch around the panel twice in irregular fashion.
4. Adhere a length of  ivory trim, ivory crinkled seam binding and May Arts natural burlap string vertically along the left. Finish off string and seam binding with double bows. Adhere to card base.
5. Top seam binding bow with a Prima Pebble from the Botanicals collection.
6. Die-cut tag using JustRite's Happy Everything custom Spellbinders dies and stamp sentiment from JustRite's Nature's Nested Sentiments in light aqua. Ink edges with Old Paper and Tea Dye Distress Inks.
7. Die-cut birdcage using Tim Holtz's Caged Bird Bigz die by Sizzix and ink the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink.
8. Add Kaisercraft Blush pearls along the bottom of the bird cage and adhere to card with foam dimensional tape.
9. Adhere tag with foam dimensional tape.
10. Adhere a bird from the Birdsong Script Collection by Prima.
11. Send it to a friend and make her day!

Here's a detail shot of the gorgeous Prima Pebble, since the picture in the store doesn't do them justice at all! Half of the 8-pack are domed glass pebbles topped with what looks like a jewelry bead cap and a rhinestone. The other half are pebbles surrounded by a ring of bling and you wouldn't believe how much they sparkle in real life!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Nosey?

I have another cutie-pie Amber Ink card to share today. This sweet digi image is called Love Bunny - Nosey. Isn't his (her?) expression adorable? My daughter and I both think he's too sweet to be nosey ... eager maybe? curious? He actually looks just like all three of my kiddoes every time the cookie jar is opened! I colored him with Copics and Prismacolor pencils, then die-cut the image panel with a Spellbinders Small Labels die. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Togetherness pad, and the cork cloud was cut with the Flat Bottom Clouds Die-namics die from My Favorite Things.

I used this month's Sketch For You To Try for my layout:

We'd love for you to play along with the sketch! Amber Ink is sponsoring the sketch and has generously donated a $15 gift certificate to one lucky March sketch participant who uses Amber Ink images Good luck! Note: You're invited and encouraged to play along in the SFYTT challenge with any stamps you'd like - it's just the prize that's open for those who use Amber Ink images. [Update: Oopsie ... a link would be nice? Go HERE to participate in this month's SFYTT!]

Thanks for visiting!



Stamps: Love Bunny - Nosey (Amber Ink)
Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card stock, Papertrey Kraft and Rustic White, Cosmo Cricket Togetherness dp
Ink: Ranger Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Small Labels and Labels Fourteen dies, Papertrey aqua buttons and ribbon, Buttons Galore wood buttons, May Arts burlap string, My Favorite Things Flat Bottom Cloud Die-namics, paper piercer, needle, thread, Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, foam adhesive

Sing to the Lord {Again}

Happy Monday, crafties. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. I enjoyed spending most of it with my parents, who came up to watch my niece's gymnastics meet. I also did a ton of painting in the master bathroom. It felt great to finish up with the painting yesterday, especially since my parents took my youngest back home with them for a couple of days. Tomorrow, the new cabinets and countertops will be installed, but today, while the older two are in school, I'm free to ...... stamp, of course! I'm ready to trade the home improvement hat for papercrafting again!

Since I haven't created anything new in a while, I'm posting an oldie today. I made this over two years ago during my Splitcoast Dirty Dozen tenure. I'm kind of past the point of being able to show this stuff, as trends and styles change a lot in two short years. Not to mention this photo looks so dark. I guess my photography has changed too! Here we go anyway, since it's been pretty dry around here :)

The beautiful stamps are from Sing to the Lord by Our Daily Bread Designs. I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend a little over a year on their design team in '08 and '09 -- amazing illustrated images and majority Scripture sentiments. I honestly can't remember many details for this card, so I'll just post the supply list below.

Before I skedaddle to my studio, I also wanted to call your attention to some Verve news. First, a new Get Your Diva On Challenge began today. This is your chance at a future guest design spot!! Deadline is Sunday, March 20, 9 pm MT. Also, info about upcoming March and April releases has been posted on the Verve blog.

Have a great Monday!!





Stamps: Sing to the Lord (Our Daily Bread Designs); Worn Music (Unity Stamp Co.)
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip card stock (SU!); watercolor paper (Canson); dp (My Mind's Eye and Kaiser Craft)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko); Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Certainly Celery, Garden Green, Always Artichoke reinkers (SU!)
Accessories: aqua painter, paper piercer, scallop edge punch, vintage brads, wide Chocolate satin ribbon, white Polyshrink, air art tool, Pretty in Pink marker (SU!); Ribbon Tags Trio die (Spellbinders); dew drops (Robin's Nest); striped ribbon (Strano Designs)

Wrinkles and Smiles

 Maureen is hosting this week's Viva La Verve challenge, and has provided a fantastic sketch for us to play with this month ...

The sentiment and butterfly are from Verve's Blue Skies. I'm so glad I pulled out this older favorite because I had forgotten some of the awesome sentiments that are included. Check it out ...

I used papers from one of the My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose collections. The blue background has been crumpled and sanded (it needed some wrinkles to fit the sentiment {wink}). The rectangle focal panel was die-cut with a Spellbinders Wonky Rectangle Nestabilities die. Wonky Rectangles is turning out to be my sleeper favorite from this latest Spellbinders collection. I pretty much overlooked it in favor of some of its sexier siblings, but now that I have it, I am absolutely loving it! It adds just the right amount of fun and whimsy!

Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a fantastic weekend :)






P.S. Remodel update: I may not turn out to be the DIY-er that I claimed yesterday I was going to become. The current master bath remodel is pretty much 100% hired out (I did change cabinet doorknobs yesterday -- teehehe) and I'm already in major stress mode. Yesterday evening I went from yelling snapping at the whole family to sobbing, "I'm so stressed out" -- all within half a second. Today, I'm all chill, "it is what it is." Sometimes I just have to freak out a little before I put things in perspective and find my calm place ;) Oh, and per request, I'll post some favorite newly discovered DIY blogs soon, as well as before and after photos of our MBa improvements.

You're So Tweet

Quick post today, as I'm in the middle of a small-remodel-turned-medium-remodel that's taking up a lot of my time. What began as just installing upper cabinets in the master bath has turned into replacing the countertops, sinks, faucets, and other hardware. I'll tell you, after choking on the cost of a new shower door, I googled "can I change my ugly, outdated brass shower trim to another finish" and subsequently dove head-first into do-it-yourself decorating/home decor/remodeling blogs. I haven't been this sucked in and giddy about blogging since I discovered stamping blogs four or five years ago. All I can say is "look out, 10-year-old, dated house of mine - you're about to get a serious facelift!" And I won't have to take out a loan to do it!

But this is a card blog and that's probably what you're here for, right? Today's card uses one of the sweet newish Pure Innocence girls from My Favorite Things -- You're So Tweet. I'm as in love with the PI line as I was on Day 1. They're just so adorable and fun to color or paper piece. I did this one mostly with Copics, then added the blue halo, the grass, and some added shadowing with Prismacolor pencils. The papers are from My Mind's Eye's Stella & Rose line (Gertie, I believe). For embellishments, I went with a turquoise twine (The Twinery), button, and some tiny Kaisercraft rhinestones.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you're having a great week!



Stamps: You're So Tweet (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card stock, My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose "Gertie" dp
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, odorless mineral spirits, paper blending stumps, Spellbinders classic circle Nestabilities, The Twinery twine, Papertrey button, Kaisercraft rhinestones, foam adhesive, paper piercer, needle, thread
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Viva La Baby Girl Verve

Charmaine has posted such a fun sketch for this week's Viva La Verve sketch challenge. Here it is:

My card is very straight-forward, but I'll still point out a couple of things:

1. I'm liking this as a baby card because it's not so super traditional, yet it's still sweet and feminine. What do you think?

2. The white border around the partial circle is actually a Spellbinders Heart Circles Nestabilities die. It's {obviously} mostly covered up, but I grabbed what was out on my desk and ended up really liking the wavy effect.

3. The reverse scallop strip in the upper left is the deco strip that comes on Sassafras Lass papers - love how they include those!

4. Behind the butterfly is a cork flower die-cut. Butterfly and cork flower were both from my leftovers bin.

5. The turquoise pearls are from Pizzazz Aplenty (thank you, Julee, for the enabling!). If you haven't been there, check them out. Fantastic prices on rhinestones, flat-back pearls, and lots of other cool stuff. I did some serious stocking up! The turquoise pearls were a freebie, too, as part of the special of the week when I ordered.

6. The sweet papers I used are from Sassafras Lass's Paper Crush line. 


For all the sketch challenge details, visit the Vive La Verve March Week 2 sketch thread at Splitcoaststampers.com. All are welcome to play along. Verve Stamps are not required. Who knows ... maybe you'll win some in the challenge and this will be the beginning of a beautiful, long-term relationship. It happened to me ;)

Have an awesome day!! I'm about to help teach in the 4-year-old Sunday School classroom - always such a blessing!





Stamps: To the Moon (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Papertrey White, Sassafras Lass Paper Crush, My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose (butterfly)
Ink: Stampin' Up Rose Red, Papertrey Fresh Snow
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels Fourteen, Classic Circles and Heart Circles Nestabilities dies, Papertrey flower die, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, The Twinery twine, Pizzazz Aplenty turquoise flatback pearls, corner rounder, distressing tool, paper piercer, needle, thread